East Africa: Ethiopian Army's Emergence - a Strategic Insurance for Red Sea and Horn Region Security

Ethiopia is undertaking a broad transformation of its national defense system, seeking to build a military that is more professional, technologically advanced, operationally ready and increasingly capable of sustaining itself through domestic production.

The transformation reaches across the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF), Air Force, Special Operations Command, defense industries, drone production, military research and education, artificial intelligence and the rebuilding of the country's maritime capability.

At its core is a strategic proposition: protecting Ethiopia's sovereignty and national interests requires not only soldiers and weapons, but also strong institutions, technology, industrial capacity and human capital capable of sustaining them.

ENDF Chief of General Staff Field Marshal Birhanu Jula has described the reform as a historic transformation aimed at strengthening the force's organizational structure, unity, professionalism, readiness and technological capacity. The objective is therefore not simply to increase military hardware, but to change the character and capabilities of the force.